As the cockpits of both mechs slid open, officially signaling the end of the match, the crowd seated on the circular stands burst into applause. The duel had been, by all accounts, a thrilling spectacle. To be fair, though the white mech ultimately lost, that one rising kick was incredibly close—had it not been Lu Ming at the controls, most other pilots would've been overturned right then and there.
For a threat of that caliber to even occur against someone like Lu Ming was rare. Most of his matches here ended in swift, overwhelming victories. That the white Short Sword had managed to hold out for so long was already an impressive feat. Perhaps their only real difference was the disparity in official mech combat rank.
Lu Ming stepped forward and, in a surprising gesture of humility, extended his hand to Lin Hai.
"My friend," he said, "would you mind exchanging contact information? Perhaps we could spar again in the future, learn from one another."
A ripple of surprise spread through the audience.
Lu Ming had always been a proud and aloof victor. He never spared a moment for defeated opponents—he'd turn and leave without a word. When had he ever made such an invitation?
Several of the girls who secretly admired him were immediately filled with indignation.
Sure, they admitted the white Short Sword had held up remarkably well against Lu Ming's signature close-quarter flurry, but was that really enough to warrant such a respectful overture from Lu Ming?
"Why should Lu Ming be the one lowering himself?" one girl huffed, arms crossed.
Below the stands, Lin Hai briefly shook Lu Ming's hand, then shook his head.
"Maybe another time," he said.
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Lu Ming standing still. Lu Ming looked after him and gave a small, helpless shake of his head.
The girls watching from above erupted again.
"Ugh! Who does he think he is? So arrogant!"
…
As Lin Hai exited the mech arena, the young man from earlier—Wang Xiao—approached with a bright smile, handing over an ID card.
"Here's my contact. No shame in losing to Lu Ming—he's practically a freak, even at Qingyuan University. But your physical performance? You're even stronger than Mad Bull Lanxi or Triple Gravity Lang. After today, are we going to have a new Quadruple Gravity King in the club?"
Lin Hai didn't bother replying. But Wang Xiao, seemingly unbothered, took the snub in stride. Clearly, whatever competitive tension had existed earlier had been swept away by admiration.
Seeing Lin Hai make no move to accept the card, Wang Xiao simply stuffed it into his pocket.
"See you around," he said tactfully, then left without pushing further.
The mech duel was just a fleeting episode in the daily rhythm of the Body Refinement Club. Whether Lin Hai had left a lasting impression on everyone there, he didn't particularly care.
What truly lingered in his mind was that Short Sword mech—he felt an ache of reluctant separation.
He wanted nothing more than to stay in that cockpit for hours longer.
The bone-shaking turbulence he'd experienced inside had left him enchanted, even though his whole body was now battered and bruised. His face was a mess of cuts, and there was a metallic taste of blood in his nose—one wrong move and it might start bleeding again.
And then, just as fate would have it, Lin Wei appeared—her fitness gear replaced with a sleek cocktail dress and long, elegant legs. She walked toward him… and Lin Hai's nosebleed started.
…
The entrance of Lin Hai and Lin Wei had drawn attention; now, their departure was just as eye-catching.
They had arrived together with Lin Wei in the lead; now, it was Lin Hai walking ahead.
Rumors had been circulating around Riverbank Star regarding the Lin family, but no one had connected Lin Hai to the alleged illegitimate child until this moment. As he left, the realization slowly dawned on them.
The Lin family's infamous scandal of a bastard son—so long whispered about—had suddenly taken a different shape in the minds of those present.
"So it's true… Lin Wei never walks with men. That young man must be the newly arrived bastard son of Lord Lin Wei."
The cheerful girl who had greeted Lin Hai earlier sighed.
Though their impressions of him had shifted, the revelation of his bastard status still evoked a mix of sympathy and regret.
In the Empire, the modern nobility had evolved from generations of deep-rooted influence across every facet of imperial life.
Their customs and rules ran deep.
A core tenet was that titles could only be inherited by legitimate heirs, to prevent the dilution and fragmentation of power across the centuries. That was how noble families remained enduring and unbroken.
A bastard son, by contrast, had no right of inheritance—no chance of ever holding leadership. The difference between a legitimate heir and a bastard was a gulf as wide as heaven and earth.
There were even cases where the flamboyant head of a noble household had, as his driver of twenty years, an illegitimate half-brother.
Most noble families found ways to quietly absorb or erase such bastards from public view. If the patriarch was sentimental, they might keep the child nearby in a servant role. Otherwise, they'd send them far away to manage minor businesses, out of sight and mind.
The Empire had no shortage of tragic headlines—forgotten young men dying drunk in car crashes, later revealed to be unrecognized bastard sons of powerful noble houses.
The funerals were plain, the tombstones bare—erased from history.
Civilization had advanced, but the world remained just as cold and cruel.
As a branch of the Lilyflower Aristocracy, Lin Wei should have buried the existence of a bastard born on a trash planet. Instead, he had summoned Lin Hai back after coming of age—a move that violated every social norm within Riverbank nobility.
Was Lin Wei actually considering challenging the sacred tradition of legitimate inheritance?
Forget the Empire's nobility—even the Lilyflower main family would never allow that.
As Lin Hai and Lin Wei disappeared from view, Wang Xiao—who had interacted with Lin Hai earlier—narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
Then he pulled out his phone and dialed an unlisted number.
"It was intense here. A shame you couldn't witness it yourself. The one walking with Lin Wei? Definitely Lin Wei's bastard son. Relationship between them seems cold. Looks like the Lin family's internal dynamics are a mess. He lost to Lu Ming in mech combat—clearly not someone capable of standing on his own."
Wang Xiao chuckled, recalling how cold Lin Hai had been when handed the card.
"Guy seems shut-in. A recluse. Growing up in the slums, he probably has no idea how to do business. I doubt Lin Wei plans to give him any real responsibility."
Then his tone shifted.
"But that physical performance… That was unexpected."